Stevie-B wrote:Some national parks are already operated by private companies. Yellowstone has a private company running all the lodges, stores, and eateries. Not saying I endorse the concept just putting out the information.

there is quite a bit of concessionaires in PA State Parks already - eg. snack bar at Hickory Run beach, marina at Moraine State Park, etc.

I'm assuming privatization of PA State Parks means taking DCNR out of the picture completely...which imo is a very bad idea.

I'm all for entrance fees, if that's what is needed to help fund the parks. As long as PA residents get a discount over what out-of-state folks would have to pay....

I believe the issue of them becoming unsustainable is newish...but I was being snarky. Hard to pin it down to one funding issue or another. I'm sure that as our state bureaucracy grows, money gets moved around from "less important" programs to the more important ones, such as paying for SEPTA, state welfare programs, pensions, roads...okay not roads, etc. I'm just not sure how high up the poll the state park system is to most politicians.

2 weekends ago I paid to enter a county park. Wasn't a big deal. Had a family reunion there. Gatehouse at the entrace, stop, $2 per car, stick this piece of paper on the dash, and you're on your way. Afterall, they're picking up garbage, maintaining restrooms, etc. No big deal.

I think PennDot is funded just fine, maybe even overfunded. Just terrible management. Some terrible roads and bridges out there. But yet, we resurface roads that don't need it over and over again. Further, wouldn't it be more efficient to do less projects more quickly?

some generic basics of about all state parks . with the exception of the two largest parks in the state all run with operation cost greater then the revenue that they generate. the reason why they are supplied funding is that they are a huge economic base for other industy and sales that easily cover what is supplied to the parks. so what happens if you privatize the parks is either services decrease to cut cost and the facility becomes less attractive or prices (which are really reasonable)increase and push people out of what they consider reasonable.does the system work on the robbing peter to pay paul idea yea but in this case the existance of paul gives peter a greater amount of cash then he would have had without paul.

Gorosaurus wrote:Tim is correct. These parks already belong to us, why should we have to pay more money (than we already do) to visit them?

And why would anyone have the right to sell of property that is already ours?

No, our national and state parks should be kept as far from the current standards of American life and expectations as possible. Them being used for things OTHER than profit is exactly what protects them. They aren't assets, and we should never think of them as such.

+1 My sentiments exactly!

Posted on: 2011/10/12 22:29

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"Even the thousandth trip to the same familiar stream begins with renewed hope and unfailing faith." ZANE GREY